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B'ville City Council to look at revamping city's
animal laws
Recent pit bull attacks prompt city leaders to
revisit ordinance
http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2005/07/11/news/4525.txt
By Kelli Williams
E-E City Editor
In response to several dog attacks in
Bartlesville in recent years, the Bartlesville City Council on Monday will
begin looking at possible changes to the city's animal codes.
The council will meet at 7 p.m. to discuss
possible changes to Section 3 of the Bartlesville Municipal Code pertaining
to animals, according to an agenda posted this week.
The proposed changes come after recent attacks
involving pit bull dogs in Bartlesville and elsewhere that have some
citizens in support of banning the breed from the city limits.
The issue has even moved one state politician,
Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore), to author legislation that would effectively
ban the pit bull breed in Oklahoma.
But City of Bartlesville officials say Oklahoma
law currently in place prohibits a breed specific ban. The city has opted
instead to look at proposed changes to existing ordinances that would make
it tougher for Bartlesville residents to keep dangerous dogs, no matter the
breed, according to City Manager Steve Brown.
"These proposed changes are to make the
responsibility of dog owners more accountable and improve public safety,"
Brown said.
Brown added that a portion of the changes deal
with fee increases in certain areas such as intact fees, relating to spay
and neutering, and reclamation fees at the SPCA.
A "potentially dangerous" dog defined in the
proposed codes as "(a)ny dog trained to fight, attack or kill; any dog that
when unprovoked engages in any behavior that requires a defensive action by
any person to prevent bodily injury; any dog when unprovoked attacks a
domestic animal."
Some requirements proposed for such dogs include
mandatory identification for the dog, the posting of city-issued signs where
the dog is kept, notification to the police department if the dog dies, is
sold or donated with the name, address and phone number of the new owner and
registration of the dog with the police department.
The proposed changes also, if approved, would
require that regulated dogs be secured inside the owner's home or be
securely confined in a locked pen with a top and fencing attached or
anchored to "to the six inch deep perimeter."
While outside, such dogs would be required to be
on a 6-foot chain link leash held in the hand, muzzled and controlled by a
person over the age of 16, the proposed ordinances state.
Penalties for violating the ordinances, if
passed, include a mandatory fine of $250 and banning the dog from the city.
The agenda does not call for action on the item,
and states merely that the measures will be discussed.
The meeting will be held at the City Center
Building, 401 S. Johnstone Ave. in downtown Bartlesville. The public is
invited to attend.
Mayor Julie Daniels
333-8062JDcityward2@aol.com
Betty Dalrymple
333-2796 Bettydalrymple@aol.com
Clark Miller
918-331-2155 ward5clark@cableone.net
Ed Mason
336-8485 No email listed
City Manager/Steve Brown
slbrown@cityofbartlesville.org
Police Chief/Leo Willey
lrwilley@cityofbartlesville.org
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